Intel Plans to Launch Bitcoin-Mining ‘Bonanza Mine’ Chip

Intel, a chip giant manufacturer, appears to be contemplating about entering into the Bitcoin mining hardware business. However, that might not be part of its upcoming GPUs. This year, the company has a presentation under the ‘Highlighted Chip Releases’ category to talk about a new “Bonanza Mine” processor, a new chip considered as a ‘super low-voltage energy-efficient Bitcoin mining
 
 ASIC 
.’ The presentation is organized by the ISSCC conference, an organization that annually gathers best and brightest minds in the chip industry. This implies that Intel could soon compete with giants such as Bitmain in the market for specialized ASICs for Bitcoin mining.

In a live stream event in December last year, Intel’s Systems and Graphics Architect, Senior Vice President and GM, Raja Koduri, appeared on a live stream event where he promoted the company’s launch of its first gaming GPUs, the Arc Alchemist lineup, which is scheduled for rollout later this year.

Intel has indicated that it will not limit the mining performance of its upcoming discrete gaming GPUs. Koduri elaborated that Intel does not have an install based as a newcomer to the discrete gaming GPU market. Generally, GPUs are used for Ethereum mining and other types of
 
 cryptocurrencies 
, not Bitcoin.

Given the timing of the ISSCC presentation and the discussion topic, reports show that Intel will share its information about the new hardware next month, February 23rd. However, it is still unclear If intel will release the Bonanza Mine chip as a product for the public use or if it confines it to a research project.

Growing Interests in Cryptocurrencies

The development by Intel comes at a time when the company’s interest in cryptocurrency is rising. In August last year, Intel purchased minority shares worth $800,000 from the US-listed crypto exchange Coinbase. Intel might have purchased Coinbase’s shares before the cryptocurrency exchange began to trade publicly in Nasdaq in April last year via a direct listing. The move was revealed as the US Securities and Exchange Commission normally requires firms with more than $100 million in publicly traded investments such as Intel to disclose their stakes. Intel has other stakes in Shift4 payment processing company, MaxLinear hardware company, and McAfee computer security software company. Last year, Coinbase reported an increase of its trading volume and revenue because of a surge in the adoption of digital currencies.

Intel, a chip giant manufacturer, appears to be contemplating about entering into the Bitcoin mining hardware business. However, that might not be part of its upcoming GPUs. This year, the company has a presentation under the ‘Highlighted Chip Releases’ category to talk about a new “Bonanza Mine” processor, a new chip considered as a ‘super low-voltage energy-efficient Bitcoin mining
 
 ASIC 
.’ The presentation is organized by the ISSCC conference, an organization that annually gathers best and brightest minds in the chip industry. This implies that Intel could soon compete with giants such as Bitmain in the market for specialized ASICs for Bitcoin mining.

In a live stream event in December last year, Intel’s Systems and Graphics Architect, Senior Vice President and GM, Raja Koduri, appeared on a live stream event where he promoted the company’s launch of its first gaming GPUs, the Arc Alchemist lineup, which is scheduled for rollout later this year.

Intel has indicated that it will not limit the mining performance of its upcoming discrete gaming GPUs. Koduri elaborated that Intel does not have an install based as a newcomer to the discrete gaming GPU market. Generally, GPUs are used for Ethereum mining and other types of
 
 cryptocurrencies 
, not Bitcoin.

Given the timing of the ISSCC presentation and the discussion topic, reports show that Intel will share its information about the new hardware next month, February 23rd. However, it is still unclear If intel will release the Bonanza Mine chip as a product for the public use or if it confines it to a research project.

Growing Interests in Cryptocurrencies

The development by Intel comes at a time when the company’s interest in cryptocurrency is rising. In August last year, Intel purchased minority shares worth $800,000 from the US-listed crypto exchange Coinbase. Intel might have purchased Coinbase’s shares before the cryptocurrency exchange began to trade publicly in Nasdaq in April last year via a direct listing. The move was revealed as the US Securities and Exchange Commission normally requires firms with more than $100 million in publicly traded investments such as Intel to disclose their stakes. Intel has other stakes in Shift4 payment processing company, MaxLinear hardware company, and McAfee computer security software company. Last year, Coinbase reported an increase of its trading volume and revenue because of a surge in the adoption of digital currencies.

Source: https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/intel-plans-to-launch-bitcoin-mining-bonanza-mine-chip/